Local government must have an informed & engaged citizenship in order to be effective

Making public information available to the public... through the internet.

Troy is a city built by passionate citizens working together to build the city we want to live in. As a citizen of Troy, I have worked for the past several years to open up the halls of government to this collective genius through working groups, public events and online discussion. As a council person, I will empower citizen experts to use the tools of local governance to intelligently address our every day needs, and our progress towards the future.

By making public information easily available to the public, through the internet, many communities around the United States are empowering citizens with the tools they need to not only provide accountability, but to crowdsource ideas and directly improve city operations. As a council person, I will continue to push for openness and data-driven policies which will improve city services and access to our government.

Through the Citizens Working Group on Composting, I, along with several other involved citizens, drafted a report on the cost savings, environmental improvements, and other benefits of composting in Troy, and outlined several next steps for the city. Since then, another working group on complete streets drafted a policy to ensure that any road improvement projects in the city are designed to put people first, making our streets more lively, vibrant places. As a council person, I will work to expand this model of citizen working groups and continue to push for efficient implementation of ideas brought forward by any citizens on how we can make our city even better.

Pictured, right: The online news magazine, All Over Albany, featured an interactive google map created by Anasha Cummings to help make information regarding the Troy City foreclosure property sale more informative and accessible through the Internet.